Wikimedia Foundation Warns of AI Copyright Ruling Threat to Open Web

The Wikimedia Foundation has filed an amicus brief in a landmark AI copyright case, urging courts to strike a balance between protecting large language models and preventing chatbots from regurgitating copyrighted work. The nonprofit, which operates Wikipedia, is concerned that an overly black-and-white ruling could either deprive Wikipedians of useful AI-based tools or endanger the open web. In its brief, Wikimedia Foundation takes neither side in the lawsuit, which pits publishers including The New York Times against OpenAI and Microsoft. The foundation is pushing for a middle ground, where large language models training on copyrighted work are legally protected, but chatbots that simply regurgitate that work to users are not. This approach aims to preserve the benefits of AI-based tools while preventing the exploitation of copyrighted material. The case is a significant test of the intersection of AI and copyright law, with implications for the future of online content and the open web.